Power press control



1931-- N. w. DORMAN ET AL 1,318,936

POWER PRESS CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7. 1930 ill 7 i %II" g E E55;

iii Ll 14 3 54 13 i 18- 18, 1931- 'N. w. DORMAN ET AL 1,818,986-

POWER PRESS CONTROL Filed April 7, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 18,1931.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 N. W. DORMAN ET AL POWER PRESS CONTROL Filed April 7, 1930 Ailg- 18, 1931' N. w. DORMAN ET AL 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 POWER PRESS CONTROL Filed April 7, 1950 18, 1931. wQDoRM-AN ET'AL POWER PRESS CONTROL Filed April 7. 19:50

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 unrrsn STATES ATENT OFFICE" NEAL W. DORMAN AND MEREDITH B. HATCH, .OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE TOLEDO MACHINE & TOOL COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, AOORPORATION OF OHIO POWER PRESS CONTROL Application filed April 7, 1930; Serial No. 442,214.

This invention-relates to power presses and particularly tocontrol means therefor of the type which is manually operable at any time to start or stop an operation of the press, and which'after a manual starting of the press is capable of automatic operation to stop the press at the end of each cycle.

lVhile it has been common in the use ofpower presses to have a foot control for starting the operation of the press and a hand control for both starting and stopping the press, together with an automatic stopping feature in connection'with the hand control,

. the foot and hand controls with this automatic "feature have not, so far as we are aware, been combined'in a single control mechanism, and it is the primary object of this invention to effect such dual control by a single mechanism of simple and efficient construction and operation.

Other objects and advantageswill be apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention and n, from the accompanying drawings illustrative with the mechanism embodying'the inven tion in operative connection therewith and control means as partially returned to its at in inoperative or at rest position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front ele'vationof a press with the mechanism embodying-the invention in operative or at rest position.

Fig. 3'is a fragmentary view of the con- I trol mechanism with all parts in at rest position and with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with theparts in the position which they assume immediately after the control has been thrown to clutch engaging position, but before the press has started a cycle of operation and before the foot control-by which the trip was effected has been released from depressed position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryview of the trip portion of the control mechanism the same as downward stroke of its movement.

Fig. ,6 is a fragmentary view of the trip parts of the mechanism of the control illustrating the press-operated trip member, on its downward stroke, as in the act of passing the catch nose of the companion. catch member of the control.

Figi? is a yiew similar to Fig. 5 showing the catch members engaged on the upward movementlof the press-actuated catch member and the control parts partially returned to normal at rest position. I

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a portion ofthe catch parts of the mechanism showing the yielding action of one of the catch members when its tail piece engages the nose of the foot trip member when the parts are being returned to normal at rest position.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the control means with the parts in operative position and with the hand lever initially moved to release the engaging dog to'permit'a hand-actuated operation of the lever to release the clutch.

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the hand rest position, and

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1111 in Fig. 9, with parts broken away and parts in full.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame of a power press, 2 the customary collar 7 on the shaft 4, as well understood in the art, and movements of this collar are controlled by an arm 8, which projects from a rod 9 that is mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement in an extension 10 of the bracket 3.

The hand control lever 11 for the clutch is fixedly mounted on a rock shaft 12 in convenient reach of the operator, said shaft being journaled in bearings 13 at the side of the frame 1, below the bracket 3. The shaft 12 is provided at one end with a rocker arm 14, which is connected by a link 15 to one arm of a three-arm lever 16, which is mounted in the frame extension 10, below the rod 9, and has one arm engaging said rod to impart clutching engagement or releasing movements thereto when lever 11 is operated. The connection between the control'lever l1 and the clutch 5 is such, in the present instance,'that when the lever is in the position shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, the clutch is disengaged, and when thrown to the left from such position to the position indicated in Fig. 4, the clutch is in operating engagement.

Nothing new is claimed for the mechanism above described, as it is common in one form or another in power presses. Such mechanism, as well as the'type of machine to which applied, may vary materially without affecting the. operation of the mechanism embodying the invention, which will now be described. To some driven rotatable part of the power press, in the present instance the crank shaft 2, is attached an eccentric 17, illustrated as being in the form of a wrist-pin projecting from one end of the crank shaft, and to this wrist-pin or eccentric is attached a connecting rod 18, which extends downwardly therefromand is pivotally connected at its lower end to a catch finger 19 which in turn is pivotally connected at to a rocker arm 21. The point of connection of the rod 18 with the finger 19 is between the pivot 20 and the free end of such finger and toward the adjacent side of the press. The arm 21 is rockably mounted on a pivot 22 carried by a bracket 23 projecting from the sideof the frame 1 in adjacent relation to the bracket 3, and the inner end of this arm is provided with an ex tension 21 and is attached to the upper end of a rod 24. The lower end of the rod 24 extends down through the closed upper end of a dash-pot 25 and carries a plunger 26 in such dash-pot. The dash-pot is carried for rocking movements by a pin 27 mounted in the bracket 23. A coiled expansion spring 2 is mounted on the rod 24 having one endthrust against the upper end of the dash-pot and its other end-thrust against a stop 29 threaded on the rod near its upper end. A pet-cock 30 is connected to the closed end portion of the dash-pot chamber and provides a iegulable air vent therefor.

It is apparent that the spring 28 and rod 24 normally act on the rocker arm 21 to retain it with its out-er end in the lowered released position shown in Fig. 4.

The rocker arm 21 is preferably of double form with the arm members thereof spaced apart axially of the pivot 22 and secured together in such spaced relation by a hub portion 21 The rod 24 passes through an opening in a pin 31 which connects the spaced arm portions 21 adjacent to their free ends. The finger 19 is disposed between the mem here 21 of the rocker arm adjacent to the outer ends of said member.

A rod or connection 32 is connected, at its upper end, to the rocker arm 21 adjacent to its outer end at a point 33 between the members of such arm, and, at its lower end, to a rocker arm '34 that is loosely mounted for free rocking movements on the shaft 12. Movement is communicated tosaid shaft from the arm 34 through the hand control lever 11, as will be hereinafter described, in such manner that the lowering of the rocker arm 21 from the normal at rest position shown in Fig. 3 to the lowered operating position shown in Fig. 4 will effect an engagement of the clutch.

A catch member 35 which is a companion to the press-operated catch member 19, is carried by the lever 21 being pivoted thereto at 36 intermediate the pivots 22 and 33. This catch member is of L or bell-crank form and has its upstanding arm provided with a catch nose 35 for catch engagement with the nose 19 of the catch member 19 on the up stroke of such latter member. Prior to the catch engagement of the members 19 and 35, the outer end of the rocker arm 21 is in its lowered position, shown in Fig. 4, so that when the catch members are engaged during the up-stroke of the member 19, the arm 21, during the continued upward movement of the member 19, is caused to be raised to the normal at rest position, shown in Fig. 3, against the tension of the spring 28, which movement raises the rod 32 and rocker arm 34 and effects a rocking of the shaft 12, as hereinafter described, to release the clutch and apply the associated brake means to stop the operation of the press.

A tail-piece 37 of L form is pivoted at its angle to the free end of the horizontally disposed arm of the catch member 35 and has a catch nose 3'? at the lower free end of its downwardly extending arm, while its other arm extends toward the pivot of the member 35 and is yieldingly held against a stop flange 38 on said member by a spring and bolt connection 39. The bolt member of the connection 39 is anchored in the hub portion 21 of the rocker arm 21, and the action of the yielding connection is such that the catch member 35 is normally held in position with respect to the arm 21 to have catchengagement with the member 19.

When the catch parts are in the normal re ease at rest? positionshowii in '3,the catc'h: n'o 'se'37 of the tail piece37 engages under the catohjnosei4'0 of a trip} member 40 that is;

mounted for limited vertical reciprocatory 1 movements'in a portion 23 of the bracket 23.

This trip member is connected by a rod 41 to aro'c ker arm 42 fixed to a shaft 43 that is mounted in the lowerfront portionof the press frame and carries a foot treadle 44.

-. A spring 45 (Fig. 1) connects the arm 42 and press frame and actsto'normally retain h fi P.ni be eo, nd f fitree 48m. their raisedpos'it'ion's. The trip'member 40 is provided with a stop pin 46, which coacts with the bracket part 23 tolimit the lower ing movement of the trip member. v v

Sli ould the rocker arm "21 and associated catch parts'be returned from the lowered position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to the normal at rest position shown in 'Fig. 3, while the tri'p'm'ember 40 is still held depressed by the operator, the'no se portions of the tailpiece 37 and trip member 40 will haveend engagement, as shewn in Fig. 8, causing the tail piece to have a limited rocking movement on the catch member 35, which movementis permitted by the spring connection 39, thus preventing a bending or breaking'oi the catch mechanism which might otherwise 00* cm. Itis thus apparent'that' the continued holding of. the foot t'readle in depressed POSI- tion aftera starting of the press will not prevent the press from being automatically stopped at th'e'end of a cycle of operations and will not cause any injury to the mechanism. p i

The lever llf-which c'onstitute's the hand control for the clutchincludes a handle member' 11? anda' bodymember' 11", which are pivoted together at 47 for limited relative rocking movement transversely of the shaft 12 to Which the member 11 is keyed. The

lower end of theh'andle member 11 extends below the pivot 47 and enters a space'between the nose ends of the two opposed dogs 48: and 49that are pivoted to the body member These dogs have respectively at 48* and 49 their free end portions, spring pressed against the hub portion 34? of the rocker-arm: i 34 at opposite sides of an interposed lug 34" on said hub portion so that a movement of the arm 34 in either, direction will. causea throwing of the control lever 11, therewith and a consequent rocking of .the shaft ,12 either to eliect' a release or an engagement of the clutch mechanism, as the case may be.

It is apparent that inasmuch as the rocker arm 34 is connected to the rockerarm 21 and cannot have movement independent thereof,

"" it is necessary in a hand throwing infor out;

of the clutch mechanism that the control lever be free'to move relative to the rocker arm 34 the direction which it thrown by theoperator to enact a stoppingjor fstarting of the press. Therefore, it necessary to fi1 af111pve 011e0r the dogs 48,49 out of engaging register with the lug 34 before such hand operated movement of the control lever and shaft 12.ca'n.be effected." For this purpose the lower end of the hand member i 11 ofthe control lever is extendeddownbe the handle portionll 'of the lever wilrbe permitted to have a sufficient. lost .motion movement relative to the body portion 11", to raise the dog 49to inoperative position so that it will pass over the lug 34", as shown in Fig. 10, duringjthe continued movement, of

the lever to its at rest position, and will not disturbthe position of the rocker arm 34. The body member 11 of the lever carries two spring-pressed parts 50 which act against opposite side edges of the lower end portion of the lever member '11 to normally retain it in neutral position. Eitheror both the dogs 48 and 49 may be locked out of engaging relation to the *lug34 by inserting a pin (not shown) through holes 51in the lever member. 11 and dogs, which holes reg siter when the dogs are raised to inoperative posit1on,

The brake nieansf which"o pera'tesin conjunction with the clutch, and is common in presses of this type, is illustrated in the present instance as comprising the opposed brake; levers 52adapted to engage the periphery ofthe clutch" drum andhavingoperative connection with one ofthe armsof the lever 16 through toggle links 53. It is understood that the brakemembers are operated to release the clutch drum when the clutch is ene sed, enzdv e s -fi It spree r use pmviatherea=i32 with ayielding connection,asshown in Fig. 2, so

that during an initial clutch throwing out. movement of the rod, the spring connection thereof will yield and store up energy to effect a quick throwingout of the clutch and "applicationof'the brakes during'the cons tinuedimovement of the rod. This feature is described andclaim'ed in our former Patent No. 1,600,403.:

The operationof the control mechanisme'mbodyingthe invention, in connection with the general operation of the .press, is as follows. The operator having placed a work piece in the press, in order to start the press by'hand, throws the control lever 11 to the left from the at rest? position shown in Figs. 2 and.3 to the operative position shown in Fig.

'4. During the initial lost motion movement of the hand member 11 with respect to the ment, to engage the catch nose of such mem clutch without disturbing the position of they other parts of the control mechanism. This starts the operation of the press, and as the wrist-pin 17, to which the operating mechanism is connected, revolves, the'rod 18,

rocker arm 21, connected catch parts 19 and 35, are lowered during the down-stroke of the wrist-pin, carrying therewith the rod 32' and rocker arm 34, thus moving the catch lug 34 on the arm 34 to catch engaging relationto the dog 48, as shown in Fig. 4. On the up stroke of the wrist-pin 17, both therocker arms 21 and 34 are returned to their normal at rest positions shown 1n F1g. 3,caus1ng the lug 34 to move to the right and act through the dog 48 to throw the control lever and associated clutch operated parts to clutch released position. Should it be desired to engage the clutch by foot. the operator depresses the foot treadle 44, which lowers the tri) member 40 and through its engagement with the tail member of the catch 35, causes a rocking of such catch against the tension of the spring connection 39 and away from the catch member 19 to disengage-the latter. Instantly upon the disengagement of the catch members 19 and 35, the rocker arm 21, under the action of the spring 28, quickly moves from the at rest position shown in Fig. 3 to the lowered position shown in Fig. 4 and in turn imparts the lowering movement to the rocker arm 34 through the 0011-. necting rod arm 34 causes the lug 34 on the, hub end there-of to engage the dog 49 and impart movement through it and the body member 11 of the hand control lever tozthe shaft l2to effect an engaging of the clutch. The press being started, upon the engagement of the clutch, the catch member 19 is caused, by the down stroke of the eccentric ;17,.to pass downwardly beyond the nose portion of the catch member 35 and then, on its return moveber and return it and the rocker arm'21' to the at rest position. the rocker arm2l imparts a clutch releasing rocking movement to the shaft 12, the same as before stated, that is, by the lug 34 on the rocker arm 34 rocking the body member 11 of the control lever to the right throughits engagement with the dog 48.

It is thus evident that the control mech anism is either operable by hand or by foot to engage the clutch and start an operation of the press, and is then operable either automatically to throw out. the clutch and stop the press at the end of a cycle of operations, or manually at any time during a cycle of'op eratio-ns by throwing the hand lever 11 to] theright. It is also appa'rentthat thelost with respect to the'lug 34 The lowerin of the rocker This return movement of' motion connectionbetween the operating member 11 of the hand lever and the rock shaft 12 causes either dog 48 49 to he released depending on the direction of movement of the lever, so that no movement is imparted from the leverto the rocker arm 34Vand theparts connecting it to the press. vision of the dog 49 in conjunction with the lug 34 enablesthe spring actuated movement oftherocker arm 21, which takes place upon a foot or treadle-operated release of the control mechanism, to effect an engaging of the clutch.

' I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, ar-

rangement or form of the parts, as it is cap-' able of numerous modificatlons and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims. I I I Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,. Q p

1. In a power press, a drive member, a rotatable driven member, a clutch controlled connection between said members, a rock shaft, connection'between said shaft and the clutch of said connection to engage or release the clutch when the shaft is rocked, means connecting said driven member and shaft for imparting movement from one to the other, said means having releasable connection with the shaft, and a hand control for the shaft automatically operable when initially moved by hand in either direction to release the connec'tion of said means with the shaft.

2, In a power press, a drive member, a rotatable driven member, a clutch controlled connection between said members, a rock shaft, connection between said shaft and the clutch of said connection to engage or release the clutch Whenthe shaft is'rocked, means connecting said drivenmember and shaft and operable, independently of such member, to actuate the shaft to engage the clutch and by said member to actuate the shaft to release the clutch, said means having releasable connection with said shaft, and a hand control for the shaft operable by lost motion when initially moved by hand in either direction to release the connection ofsaid means with the shaft. 1 I

3. In a power press, a drive member, a rotatable drivenmember, a clutch controlled connection between said members, a rock shaft,-.c0nnection betweensaid shaft and the clutch of said connection to engage or release the clutch when the shaft is rocked, means connecting said driven member and shaft for impartingmovement from one to the other, said means having releasable connection with the shaft and also having a foot controlled release operableto disconnect the operating connection between said member and shaft and to actuate the shaft to engage the clutch,

On the other hand, the prosaid means being operable at a predetermined point in a cycle of operations of the'press to reconnect said foot operated release and to actuate the shaft to release the clutch, and a hand control for the shaft operable by lost motion when initially moved by hand in either direction to release the connection of said means with the shaft during the clutchshifting movement of said control.

4:. In a power press, a drive member, a ,rotatable driven member, a clutch controlled connection between said members, a rock shaft, connection between said shaftand the clutch of said connection to engage or release the clutch when the shaft is rocked,,mechanism connecting said driven member and shaft including a rockerarm, means urging a movement of said arm to one position,fa pair of releasable catch members carried by said arm, connection between one, of said catch members and said driven memberato cause rocking movements vof said arm when said member is rotatedand the catch parts areengaged, a rocker arm on said shaft, connection between said rocker arms to impart rocking movements from one to the other, foot operated means for releasing said catch members tov permita normal movement of said first rocker arm to move thesecond rocker arm in clutch engaging direction, a releasable connection between said second rockerarm and shaft, and hand control means for the shaft operablewhen, initially moved by hand in, either direction to release the con nection between the second rocker arm and shaft and maintain such release during the continued movement of the hand control in the same direction.

5. In a power, press, a drive member, a rotatable driven member, a clutch controlled connection between said members, a rock shaft, connection between said shaft and, the clutch of said connection to engage or release the clutch when the shaft is rocked, a first and second rocker arm, double dog means releasably connecting said second arm and shaft and operable through different .of saiddogs to impart rocking movements indifferent 1directions from one to the other of saidsecond .Iockerarm and shaft, releasablecatch members carried by the first rocker arm,connection betweenloneof said catch members, and said driven member to impart rocking movements to the first rocker member from a rotation of the driven member when they catch members are engaged, and operable to reengage the catch members, if released, at a predetermined pointin a rotationofsaid driven member, and connection between said rocker arms for imparting predetermined clutch shifting movements from oneto the other.

i 6. In a power press, a drive member, a r0- tatable driven member, a clutch controlled connection between said members, a rock ments to the first rocker member from a ram tion. of the driven member when the catch members are engaged, and operable to are-engage the catchmember s,if released, ata predeterminedpoint na rotation of said driven member, a connect on between said rocker arms for imparting predetermined clutchshifting movements from one to the other, and a hand control means for the shaft operable, when initially moved by hand in either directiongtorelease oneof said dogs to permit a movement of the shaft independently .of the second rockerarm upon a continued movement of the hand control means in said dog releasing direction.

7. In a power press,a drive member, arotatable driven jmember, a clutch controlled connection between said members, a rock shaft, connection between said shaftand the clutch of saidconnection to engage or release the clutch when. the shaft is rocked, a first and a second rocker arm, the latter connected to said shaft to impart rotation thereto, springmeans connected to said first arm to normally impart movement in clutch engaging direction thereto, a pair of catch members carried by said firstarm, connection ,between-oneof said members and the driven member to impartmovement from one to the other.- and through the catch members to said first rocker arm when said catch members are engaged, connection between said rocker .arms to mpart movement from one to the Other thereof to actuate the shaftto engage or release the clutch, and a control manually ,operableto release said catch membersto permit a spring-actuated movement of the .rocker armsin clutch-engaging direction, .said catch members bein'gre-engagedatapredetermined point in a rotationvof said driven member to cause a continued rotation of suchmember ,to move the arms in a-clutch rel easing direction.

8. In a power press, a drive member, a-rotatable driven member, a clutch controlled connection betweensaid members, a rock shaft, connection between said shaft and the clutch of said connection to engage or release the clutch when i the shaft is rocked, means connecting said driven member and shaft and operable a rotation of the driven member to impart clutch releasing movement tosaid shaft and also operable to impart clutch engaging movements to said shaft, a. hand lever connected to said shaft to operate the same, a pair of dogs carried by said lever connection and operable to have difierential engagement with said mechanism to connect the mechanism with the shaft in both directions of movement of the latter, said lever having a lost motion feature whereby an initial movement of the lever in either direction efiects a release of one of said dogs from said mechanism to permit the lever and shaft to have continued movement in the same direction independently of said mechanism.

9. In combination, a drive member, a rotatable driven member, a clutch controlled connection between said, members, a rock shaft, connection between said shaft and the clutch of said connection to engage or release the clutch when the shaft is rocked, a mechanism connecting said driven member and shaft and having loose connection with said shaft, said mechanism having a catch part, a lever fixed, to, said shaft, a pair of dogs pivoted to said lever for normal engagement with said catch part at opposite sides thereof, whereby movement of said catch part in one direction or the other will engage one or the other ofsaid dogs and rotate the shaft, and a control member having lost motion connection with said lever and operable to move said lever in either direction and by initial lost motion between the two to engage and release the dog from the catch part in the direction in which the lever is being moved. 4

10. In a power press, a drive member, a driven member, a clutch controlled connection bet-ween said members, a rock shaft connected to the clutch of said connection for 'operatlng same, manual means for operating said rock shaft to engage or release the-clutch connection, automatic means actuated by said driven member for operating said shaft to release said clutch connection, and having connection with the shaft through said manual means, said manual means including a lost motionpart and a multiple catch connection with said other means, and operable by an initial lost motion movementof said part in operating direction torelease said catch connection and move the shaft to engage or res lease the clutch connection.

driven member,clutcl1 controlled connection 11. In power press, a drive member, a

between said members, a rock shaft connected to the clutch of said connection for operating same, manual means for operating said rock shaft to engage or'release the clutch connection, automatic means actuated by said driven member for operating said shaft to release said clutch connection, and having connection with the shaft through said manual means, said manual means including a part fixed to the shaft, a'control part having a lost motion connection with said fixed part, and a double catch connection between said fixed part and automatic means automatically operable by a o shaft having connection with and operable to engage and release the clutch, automatic means for operating the shaft to release the clutch and including a rocker arm loose on the shaft and a catch connection between the arm and shaft, and a manual control operable to move the shaft to engage or release the clutch, and having a lost motion feature which, upon an initial movement of the control in either direction,eifects a release of said catch before the shaft is moved.

13. In a machine, a control clutch, a rocker arm, a pair of catch members carried by said arm, connection between one of said members and a moving part of the machine, connection between said arm and clutch to cause predetermined movements of the arm to effect an engagement or release of the clutch, said catch members, when engaged, adapted to communicate a clutch-releasing movement to said arm from a predetermined movement of said first connection, yielding means urging a clutch-engaging movement of said arm when said catch members are released and the arm is in one position of its movement,

and means manually operable to release said means urging a clutch-engagement movement of said arm when said catch members are released and the arm is'in one position of its movement, and means manually operable to movement of said first connection, yielding release said catch members, said means ineluding a yielding catch member carried by one of said first catch members. Y 15; In a machine, a control clutch, a rocke arm, a pair of catch members carried by said arm, connection between said arm and a clutch to cause predetermined movements of the arm to efiect an engagement or release of the clutch, said catch members, when engaged, adaptedto communicate a clutch-releasing movement to said arm from a predetermined movement of said first connection, yielding means urging a clutch-engagement movement of sa1d arm when said catchmernbers are released, and the arm is in one posiposition of its movement, and means manue ally operable to release said catch member,

'said means including a catch part pivotally carried by a projecting part of one of said catch catch members, a yieldlng connectlon between said catch part and member, and a manually movable trlp member engaglng said catch part, and movable to efiect a release of the catch members through said catch part. In testimony whereof We have hereunto signed our names to this specification. NEAL W. DORMAN. MEREDITH R. HATCH. 

